Walk thru the Fire; Monday Morning Madness
by CandyHartz
Summary: Monday Morning at shermer high. Where is Andy? (good question, i havent figured that out yet) will claire and bender get along? r/r!!!


A baby blue Rolls Royce purred to a halt outside Shermer High. It was Monday, and already crowds of kids were sluggishly moving towards the door.  
  
A pretty red head, and her mother say arguing in the car.  
  
"No more detention, or I'll be sending you to a decent disciplinary boarding school," warned Claire's mother.  
  
"Boot camp, you mean," hissed Claire spitefully. She knew she shouldn't have gone to Stubby's party. As soon as she had, her father disappeared on business and left her alone with her mother, who had grounded her.  
  
"Get out of the car," seethed her mother. "Be here right after school, you are still grounded,"  
  
Claire slid out of the car, and slammed the door without saying goodbye.  
  
She stared at the doors to the school, wondering briefly about the people she'd met in detention. Would she be able to stand up to her friends? Claire hoped she met one of the breakfast club before she ran into her usual clique.  
  
"Claire!" Claire recognized Tiffany's nasal shriek instantly. Plastering on a smile, she turned to face the blonde bombshell rushing towards her. It was no wonder Tiffany was popular, she was pretty and nice to everyone - to their faces, at any rate. She was never openly rude to people 'lower' than she was, and it meant open adulation from most of the school.  
  
"Hi, Claire," a soft, quavering voice sounded from behind them. Claire looked around and saw none other than Brian Johnson, quaking behind them.  
  
"Hi Brian," she responded, smiling. "How are you?"  
  
"Grounded. You?" Brian sounded a little more confidant.  
  
"Likewise," As Claire struggled to find something else to say, Larry Lester waved Brian away. When he was out of earshot, Tiffany turned to Claire and said "What was all that about?"  
  
"Aw, he's a nice guy, y'know?" shrugged Claire, blushing feverently. "He... helped me out on an essay once," she smiled privately.  
  
"Oh," Tiffany took in the information, and then apparently deleted it. Instead she looked Claire over, and squealed at the new boots she was wearing. Ankle high with heels and pointed toes.  
  
Alison Reynolds skulked through the halls. She was dressed entirely in black, as usual, but she had left the black 'shit' off.  
  
No one paid her any attention as she yanked open her locker. A neatly folded piece of paper was in it. Alison looked around for the person who had left her the note. No one likely was near, so she picked the offending item up and unfolded it.  
  
Alison,  
  
I know you don't have the same pressures as the others,  
  
but rest assured you have friends, okay? Meet me for lunch?  
  
Out at the front doors,  
  
Brian xxx  
  
Alison smiled. Only Brian would use 'rest assured' in a note. She shoved it into her jacket pocket, grabbed her Math book and headed for class.  
  
She hoped to see Andy, steeling herself for his reaction to her. Instead, she found John Bender, scribbling on his locker. She had genuinely forgotten his locker was in that direction, but he was alone so she decided it might be safe to talk to him.  
  
"Hi John," she said softly, folding her arms around herself nervously.  
  
"Hey," he responded without turning around. When he was finished his elaborate doodle which read 'Vernon sucks for cash', he faced her.  
  
Alison giggled and said "You'll be killed for that one,"  
  
Bender shrugged. "That's life, someone has to tell these people the truth,"  
  
"Have you seen Claire yet?" Alison blurted the question suddenly, and about as tactfully as a bull in a china shop.  
  
Bender blanched almost visibly, and said "No," and then as an afterthought "I probably won't, either."  
  
"Sorry," Alison shifted uncomfortably. "Walk me to class?"  
  
Bender looked at her for a long moment, before nodding and following her.  
  
Claire was surrounded by all her friends when Bender and Alison rounded the corner. She looked up, and quickly avoided eye contact with either of them.  
  
"Wastoid," growled one of them. They didn't even notice Alison.  
  
"Oh, my apologies," spat back Bender. "I must be invading your planet,"  
  
"Sure would explain a few things," piped up another.  
  
"Stop it," murmured Claire, staring at the ground.  
  
"Have you got something to say for this asshole?"  
  
"No," Claire looked around at her friends.  
  
Bender was seething. How could he have ever imagined Claire would accept him over her clique? He wasn't going down without a fight. He strolled over to her, smirking as her friends separated.  
  
"What are you-?" Claire didn't get any further, because Bender had covered her mouth with his. He pushed her back against the lockers, sliding his tongue into her mouth before she could think to stop him. For a minute it seemed like his hands were everywhere. Claire's senses were overwhelmed, she wasn't used to the sensations coursing through her body.  
  
When her mind finally caught up with the rest of her, she tentatively put on Bender's waist. He flinched and grunted, immediately withdrawing as though he was in pain.  
  
"This is what you're missing," he purred, so only Claire could hear him, before he stalked back to Alison.  
  
Claire was speechless. She was left reeling and dependant on the lockers behind her for support. Her friends were aghast.  
  
"Eeeew... gross!" 


End file.
